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overthink

British  
/ ˌəʊvəˈθɪŋk /

verb

  1. to spend more time thinking about something than is necessary or productive

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

I don’t want them to overthink it, but I want them to be inspired.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026

It holds heat, keeps its nerve, and moves easily from stovetop to oven to broiler and back again without asking you to switch vessels or overthink it.

From Salon ● Apr. 21, 2026

"Sometimes you can overthink too much about, oh, we're playing against England, we're playing against West Indies."

From Barron's ● Feb. 6, 2026

When looking for the best ways to play the ongoing semiconductor boom this year, investors might not want to overthink things.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 9, 2026

Like a whispered secret message: don't overthink this.

From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli

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